Scams are big business for cybercriminals. In 2023, Aussies lost a whopping $2.7 billion in scams. Barely a week goes by without yet another brave story of someone who shares their own scam story in the hope that it will alert others to the calculating ways of cyber criminals. While the hefty financial losses are often the stories that catch our eye, the impact on a victim’s confidence and mental health can’t be underestimated.
As a mum of 4, one of my greatest concerns is that my boys don’t end up losing their hard-earned money to online scams. So, in the spirit of parenthood, I want to share with you some of the scam protection tips I share with my beloved boys.
1. Always Be Cautiously Suspicious & Think Critically – Channel Your Inner Sherlock Holmes
Teaching your kids to be cautiously suspicious and question what they see online may feel like you’re bursting their bubble but I’m all about keeping it real and protecting them. As soon as your kids are old enough to interact online, I would start weaving in messages such as
- ‘Not everyone is who they say they are online’
- ‘Online friends aren’t real friends’
- ‘Not everything you read online is true’
And as they get older, make the messages more targeted and pose questions that will get them thinking:
- ‘If something is too good to be true, it probably is’
- ‘What do you think the motivation is here?’
- ‘Does the website look legitimate?’
- ‘If someone is putting pressure on you to transfer money, share personal information or sexy photos then it’s likely a scammer. Stop all communication’
And when your kids hit the teenage years and they are operating independently online, there is no point sugar-coating anything about being online. I regularly share news stories and social media posts about the latest scams with my crew as well as the brave stories of scam victims.
2. Check Your Cyber Hygiene
Sometimes it can be the little things that can cause us to become unstuck like not updating software or downloading an app without checking the reviews. In an ideal world, we’d all get an A++ with our cyber hygiene basics but, we are all human – so mistakes will be made, and routines will go awry. This is an example of someone who would get an A++ for cyber hygiene – I’m about to share this with my boys!
Ensure the software on all your devices is up to date. And yes, that includes your gaming console too! Remember, software updates are usually designed to address security weaknesses.
Every online account needs to have its own unique password. I’m a big fan of password managers to make this process easier to manage. Check out TrueKey – McAfee’s free password manager – not only will it help you generate humanely impossible passwords, but it will remember them also. All you need to do is remember one ‘master password’ – a complete no-brainer!
Only visit websites that are secure and start with a ‘https’. Simply look for the closed lock icon in the URL bar. Install top-notch security software on your devices. I’m clearly a fan of McAfee+ – McAfee’s full ID theft protection and premium security software. Not only does it include antivirus but identity monitoring, scam protection, social privacy manager as well as unlimited VPN usage too!
Only ever download apps from trusted marketplaces such as the AppStore or Google Play. Apps collect data so you want to ensure it is safe, so you don’t become a victim of identity theft. Dodgy apps, particularly banking apps, are a particularly lucrative way scammers try to get their hands on your money. So, always read the reviews and do your due diligence before downloading.
Never answer calls from a number you don’t know. Some phones will allow you to silence calls from unknown numbers. There are also some apps that have been developed to identify scam numbers but make sure you do your homework before downloading!
3. Be Careful What You Share
At the risk of stating the obvious, the less you share online the less information there is for scammers to find and use. Sharing too many specific details on your social media platforms or your dating profiles can help a scammer to build a profile. This is often known as the ‘mosaic effect’ and can be how scammers can successfully steal identities. Here’s what I suggest:
- Tighten Up Privacy Settings
All social media profiles need to be set to private. Some platforms will also allow you to limit the viewing of your past posts – definitely do this. And always turn off live location.
- Never Accept Follow Requests From Strangers
Only accept follow or friend requests from people you know and trust. Teens may be tempted to accept requests from anyone in order to boost their ‘numbers’, but this is a dangerous game and no different than sharing details of your private life with complete strangers who may in fact be scammers.
- Avoid Posting Pics Until After Your Events and Holidays
All photos contain metadata that can give the precise location where the pic was taken. So, be cautious and post pics of events, gatherings, and holidays post-event.
4. Think Before You Link
Phishing scams are by far one of the most successful ways scammers can make their way into our lives. Quite simply, this is when a cybercriminal poses as a legitimate institution and ‘tricks’ an unsuspecting user into sharing personal information. The stolen identifying information is then used to access accounts and can result in identity theft and potential financial loss.
Now, this can happen via telephone however email, text, and social media messaging platforms are the most common routes. Commonly, cyber criminals will encourage potential victims to click on fraudulent links to access special deals, check account balances, or view receipts. Here are my top tips to avoid becoming a victim:
Links could contain malicious or nasty software so avoid clicking on them if possible. You can always hover over the link to see the actual web address it will take you to.
- Do NOT share your details via any link in any message – NO EXCEPTIONS!!
If a link is fraudulent and you’ve clicked on it and then shared personal information, you may be at risk of having the details you shared stolen. So let’s avoid that! Instead, always manually type the website address into your browser and make sure you are visiting the legitimate website.
If you’ve received an email from someone that contains a link that has piqued your interest, contact the person directly and verify they sent it. This is particularly relevant when making a payment.
5. Stay Up To Date
One of the best ways to stay abreast of scams is to commit to staying informed. Scan the news headlines daily and subscribe to relevant tech newsletters and social media groups. With so many people affected by scams, tech journalists will often cover the latest scams. And pay it forward – if you hear of a scam doing the rounds, share the intel with friends and family members.
Whether it’s a romance scam, toll scam, or a false delivery scam, there’s no disputing that scammers are trying very hard to infiltrate every aspect of our lives. And yes, it can feel overwhelming but taking just a few simple steps will ensure that you (and your family) are in the best possible position to shut down those scammers!
